Foundational Standards

All Scripture recited during the Psalter Trial must be spoken in the English Standard Version (ESV); no other translation is permitted. Every Psalm must be delivered with 99 percent accuracy, meaning a single error is allowable, but two mistakes require the candidate to restart that specific Psalm.

To preserve reverence and integrity, the Psalter Trial is overseen by two approved clergy members, who may be ordained priests, nuns, or pastors. Whenever possible, preference is given to clergy within monastic or liturgical traditions. Their role is to listen, verify accuracy, document performance, and ensure the holiness of the moment.

The Psalter Trial

The Psalter Trial is the formal Scripture examination through which a man demonstrates mastery of all 150 Psalms from memory. The entire recitation occurs on a single day and is divided into three segments: Psalms 1–50, Psalms 51–100, and Psalms 101–150. All segments must be completed consecutively on the same day.

During the trial, the candidate may stand, sit, or kneel, but he must do so in reverence. Recitation is continuous except for brief breaks for water. No prompting, coaching, correction, or assistance of any kind is allowed. The candidate must rely entirely on his preparation, memory, breath control, and spiritual focus. Each Psalm must meet the accuracy requirement, and any Psalm that does not must be repeated immediately. Completion of all 150 Psalms within the day is required to pass.

The Warrior Kumite

The Warrior Kumite is the physical endurance trial and is held on a different day than the Psalter Trial to ensure proper physical readiness and spiritual clarity. The Kumite consists of sixty minutes of continuous rolling, with a fresh training partner entering every two to three minutes. This is not a test of aggression or domination; it is a test of endurance, technique, breath control, and humility while under constant pressure.

To pass the Kumite, the candidate must complete the full hour without stopping, maintain composure and safe conduct, and demonstrate control, patience, and disciplined technique throughout the session. Character is judged more highly than aggression, and reckless behavior results in disqualification. The Warrior Kumite is intended only for men who have reached black belt level in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Certification and Recognition

Completion of both the Psalter Trial and the Warrior Kumite is required to achieve Warrior Monk status. These trials are undertaken only once in a man’s lifetime. After passing, a man’s name is entered into the official global Warrior Monk Registry, where it remains as a permanent record of his devotion and accomplishment.

Every three years, Warrior Monks must also complete a Recertification Trial, which consists of reciting ten Psalms selected at random in the ESV translation. This simple test ensures continued spiritual sharpness and humility, and it reinforces that mastery of Scripture is a lifelong pursuit.

Conduct and Expectations

Candidates must display reverence, humility, and discipline throughout both trials. Physical training must be performed with respect and safety, and intentional harm is strictly prohibited. Any form of deception, manipulation, or misrepresentation results in immediate disqualification and removal from consideration.

The trials are not competitions or spectacles. They are solemn acts of devotion that reflect years of training and a heart submitted to God.

The Warrior Monk

The Warrior Monk trials uphold the highest standards of the 150 Brotherhood. They call men to a level of excellence that blends Scripture mastery, physical endurance, spiritual integrity, and unwavering discipline. Those who complete them join a lineage of men committed to living lives shaped by Scripture, forged in discipline, and devoted to God with their whole being.

The path is narrow.
The demands are great.
But the reward is a life marked by strength, mastery, and faithfulness.